Bring it on!
by KairiAngel13
Summary: The King of Iron Fist Tournament Five is underway and fighters from all over the world are eager to demonstrate their power and potential. Asuka Kazama is a first time competitor but she isn't afraid of a little competition- but having to make friends while secretly swooning over a certain spiky-haired red-head are a few battles in which she'll have to accept defeat. AsukaxHwoarang
1. The King of Iron Fist Tournament Five

**Summary:**The King of Iron Fist Tournament Five is underway and fighters from all over the world are eager to demonstrate their power and potential while conquering their own selfish motives. Asuka Kazama is a first time competitor but she isn't afraid of a little competition with her fists; but having to make friends while secretly swooning over a certain spiky-haired red-head are a few battles that just might force her to accept defeat.

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Namco's popular fighting video game series **_**Tekken**_**- but if I did, that would be the greatest feeling in the world.**

**Pairings:**** Asuka K. x Hwoarang, Christie M. x Steve F., Christie M. x Eddy G., Xiaoyu x Jin K., Lei W. x O.C.**

* * *

><p>"<strong>The King of Iron Fist Tournament Five"<strong>

Asuka's legs ached in protest as she speedily pedaled down Main Street towards her family shrine. The headmaster had called her down to the office halfway through fourth period and explained to her as calmly as he could that the police had been called to her father's dojo. Apparently, there had been a serious altercation and her mother wanted her home immediately. What could have happened to her father? The man was in perfect health and he was a master in Kazama-style martial arts. He could handle anything or anyone who tried to disrupt the peace of their family- so what could have happened to him?

She could see the flashing lights of police cars from three blocks away as she neared the shrine. A fire truck was parked right beside the hydrant on the corner and an ambulance was right in front of it. Whatever had transpired at the shrine must have been serious. Asuka could hear her mother's cries as she hopped off her bike and dropped it on the front lawn. Her mother was standing on the front porch, a handkerchief in her hands, her eyes swollen, her face stained with tears. She was standing with two officers- one of them that Asuka recognized from last year's showing of the Tekken Tournament- Lei Wulong.

"Mother, what's going on?" Asuka asked as she cautiously approached the two officers.

"Your father was visited earlier this afternoon by an old friend named Feng Wei. I fixed them a pot of tea and let them be while tending to tasks in the kitchen parlor. I overheard Feng asking your father if he had any information on the scroll of the 'God Fist,' but your father refused to tell him anything, claiming that the scroll was to be kept hidden and no one was to know its power. Feng was outraged that your father wouldn't tell him the location of the scroll and next thing I know, the two of them were arguing. Your father tried to hold him off the best he could but he was roughed up pretty badly."

Asuka grit her teeth to contain a snarl as she squeezed her hands into tight fists. "Where is that bastard? He had no right to come here and harm father. If these cops can't do their jobs and catch him, allow me to intervene."

"Asuka, do not be so naïve." Her mother scolded her. "Do not misunderstand me dear, you are an amazing fighter, but Feng Wei is a level ten class fighter who doesn't believe in boundaries. He won't go easy on you and will stop at nothing to kill you should you get in his way. Let the police handle this matter."

"I do not care what the risks are mother. This man came onto Kazama territory and messed with my father. It's about time he met the bull and get what's coming to him."

"You sure are a determined young lady." Lei said with a smile as he placed his pen and notepad into his back pocket. "You remind me so much of myself when I was younger."

Asuka growled angrily before turning on her heels and marching down the shrine steps to pick up her bike. Her fingers curled around the handlebars as she glared down at the ground. At least she knew the fighter's name- that gave her a small advantage. All she had to do was get online and search the local directories to find any bit of information she could on his whereabouts. Once she got her hands on him, he was going to pay.

"Your mother was right about you. You are a great fighter." A voice came from behind her. Asuka looked up and raised an eyebrow as Detective Wulong approached her, his hands folded behind his head. "You are confident in your fighting spirit and your aura is incredible. Who would have guessed that someone so young could have so much power inside of them? It's funny, you remind me so much of Jun."

"You knew my aunt?" Asuka asked, surprised to hear the late woman's name leave the man's mouth.

"Of course I knew her. Jun and I were great friends. The two of us worked together in the second Iron Fist Tournament to defeat Hehachi and Kazuya Mishima, although our intentions were very different. The two of us kept in contact for a little while after the tournament ended, but our contact with each other stopped abruptly before the third tournament. Of course now, I understand the reason why I lost contact with my friend. When I look at you Asuka, I see your aunt."

"Thanks." Asuka said with a soft smile as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Now Asuka, usually I would suggest that you stay out of police business and let us handle Feng Wei, but there is something about the man that is unnatural. There have been reports of attacks at several other dojos around the city in regards to the God Fist scroll and I have a feeling that Feng Wei can be linked to all of these incidents. If my theory is correct, he won't stop until he has found what he is looking for. I have been following all of his misconduct points trying to establish a pattern or a connection and I believe that Wang Jinrei's dojo will be the next attack point."

"Then what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Lei held up a hand to silence the girl and she frowned. "Asuka, although I know who he plans to attack next, I know he won't be going to the shrine. Wang Jinrei is rumored to be entering the fifth Iron Fist Tournament and he will be traveling to Kyoto for the sign up date. I can only be led to believe that Feng Wei will be entering the tournament as well to confront him. I shall enter the tournament myself to track him down and put an end to this madness. I also hope to have a run-in with Mr. Kazuya Mishima."

Asuka placed her hand to her chin in thought. "Why are you telling me this Detective Wulong?"

Lei reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled flyer before passing it to Asuka. She held it in her hands and studied it intently. It was a flyer for the King of Iron Fist Tournament Five.

"I first entered the tournament at the age of twenty-four and I have been in every tournament since then for one reason or another. The competition is tough and you are bound to face your toughest opponents yet, but somehow I know that you have what it takes. You may be young, but your spirit is strong. If you really want to exact revenge on this man for what he did to your father, this would be your best bet. Well, I had better get going. My plane for Kyoto leaves in an hour."

Lei waved goodbye before making his way to his cruiser. Just as he grabbed hold of the door handle, Asuka called out to him, stopping him. Lei looked up just as she lifted her head from the flyer.

"Mind if I catch a ride?"

Lei smiled back at the girl before folding his arms on the roof of his car and nodding. "You've got ten minutes kid. Let's get going."

* * *

><p><em>Attention all passengers, please fasten your seatbelts. We will be landing in Kyoto in minus five minutes. The current time is twelve p.m. and the temperature is seventy-eight degrees. Please remained seated until you receive further instructions. Thank you for choosing Ibex Airlines.<em>

Asuka stirred awake slowly as Lei nudged her side with his elbow. She stifled a yawn before stretching her arms in the air and lowering them to rest behind her head.

"Two hour flight, not bad." She said with a sigh as she allowed her eyes to slide closed.

"Glad you got a little sleep." Lei said as he closed the lid to his laptop and set it inside his case. "The turbulence kept jerking me awake. I swear, it's like Kami was determined for me to stay awake and get some work done."

"Work?" Asuka asked curiously as she looked towards the computer bag laying at his feet.

"Just because I left the police department to enter the tournament, that doesn't mean I don't have a load of paperwork to do. I managed to bust up a drug operation last week and have to file reports on the ten offenders. Then there are the few traffic violations that I handed out. Being a police officer isn't just an adrenaline rush or saving peoples' lives, you know?"

Asuka nodded as she fastened her seatbelt and looked out the window. She could see a large forest beneath her and just on the other side lied an enormous city. Even though it was the middle of the afternoon, she could still see the bright lights of Kyoto from the sky. Slowly, the plane made its descent to the ground and the buildings that looked so small before grew immensely, swallowing the sky she had seen moments before. The plane landed with a gentle thud and came to a stop as the stewardess instructed all passengers to unbuckle their seatbelts and gather any carry-on items they had brought on the plane. Lei grabbed his laptop case before standing to his feet and waiting to make his way down the aisle. Asuka followed after him and the two of them made their way inside the large airport.

"Where exactly do we go now?" Asuka asked as they headed for the luggage carousel.

"Every year, the sign-up takes place at the Hotel Monterey Kyoto. The hotel is specifically reserved for the tournament fighters for the course of a month that the tournament takes place. You won't have to worry about crazy fans throwing themselves at you or spying on you during your stay. The Mishima Zaibatsu provides security guards to keep everyone out."

"So how are they going to know whether we are a competitor or a fan?" Asuka asked as they stood on the escalator and headed for the luggage terminal.

"All fighters desiring to register in the tournament are to have sent their names in two weeks prior to the tournament registration day."

"Wait a minute, I just found out about this tournament today. How am I going to be able to compete?"

"I did a little snooping around on my computer and managed to scratch one name off the list to make room for yours."

"Why detective, isn't that law-breaking?" Asuka asked with a playful smile.

Lei gasped, pretending to be hurt before laughing. The two of them grabbed their things from the carousel before heading for a payphone in the lobby. After calling up a cab, the two of them sat on a park bench just outside the airport to wait.

"You know something?" Asuka asked, and Lei turned to look at her. "When I first decided to come along with you, it was mainly to defeat Feng Wei and exact revenge for my father's defeat- but after having a little bit of time to contemplate everything that I'm about to do, I am actually excited about the tournament in general. It's been a while since I've had a decent challenge. I managed to rough up every gang banger and crook back home and was in need of a little entertainment."

Lei raised an eyebrow. "You sure are energetic for being so young."

Asuka rolled her eyes as she placed her chin in the palm of her hands. "I'm eighteen detective, I'm not that young- and actually, I will be turning nineteen next week. I'm not as young and immature as you think. I just have a passion for fighting, what's so wrong with that?"

"For someone who was trained in Kazama-style martial arts, I would expect you to be more calm and kind-spirited."

"What, like my aunt?" Asuka said as her eyebrows narrowed. "I know that she was an impeccable fighter with great spirituality, but she and I are in no way the same detective. Her purpose was to help those around her spiritually. My purpose is to physically be a stronghold for those in need of my help. We had different motives in the world."

Deciding not to press the matter further, Lei crossed his arms over his chest and waited patiently for their cab to arrive. Five minutes into their wait, a slow drizzle began to form, filling the air with a light mist. Asuka shivered as she wrapped her arms around herself trying to keep warm. She had left with Lei in such a hurry that she hadn't even changed out of her school uniform. She had goose bumps standing up on her legs and the wind kept blowing her skirt up. She had to keep pressing it down with her hands, hoping that no one could see her current predicament. If Detective Wulong had noticed, he wasn't saying anything.

The cab pulled up ten minutes later and parked on the curb. The two of them grabbed their things before heading to place their things in the trunk. They then climbed inside and smiled at the cab driver. Lei handed the man a twenty before giving the man the address to the hotel. He then leaned back, shot a smile at Asuka, and looked ahead.

Kyoto was a very beautiful city and Asuka couldn't help but to be mesmerized by it as they drove through the rain-covered streets. The buildings were large with glass windows that looked like blue-coated mirrors as they sped past. The lights were mesmerizing and colorful, filling the streets with beautiful hues of orange and yellow. After fifteen minutes of driving, the cab driver pulled onto a curb and looked at Lei through the rearview mirror.

"Here you are sir, Hotel Monterey Kyoto. You two must be entering the Tekken Tournament."

"Right you are." Lei said as he patted the man on the shoulder and opened his door. Asuka followed suit and got out on her side before walking around to the trunk.

"Well then sir, I wish you and your daughter the best of luck." The cab driver said with a tip of his hat.

"Oh, she's not my daughter."

"He most certainly is not my father."

The cab driver raised an eyebrow, but his look softened as he apologized for the mistake. Asuka slammed the trunk shut and pulled the handle of her bag out before walking up the front walk. Lei followed after her.

There were four guards of the Mishima Zaibatsu posted at the door, their weapons drawn as they stood guarding the door defensively. Lei smiled at the four men.

"Good afternoon. I am Lei Wulong and this here is Asuka Kazama. The two of us are here to register for the tournament."

One of the guards pulled out a touch-screen phone, his fingers gliding across the screen as he began to search for the guest list that had been sent to him earlier that day. His eyes came across Asuka's name first and Lei's wasn't too far behind hers.

"Can I see some form of identification please?" he asked them.

Lei nodded before pulling out his police badge and his driver's license. Asuka then pulled out her driver's license and the two of them showed them to the guards.

"Alright then, you two are good to go. The hotel staff will give you further instructions when you get inside."

"Thank you kind sir." Lei said before motioning for Asuka to follow him. The guards stepped aside and the two fighters made their way through the sliding doors of the hotel. Asuka's face lit up as she looked around the large, extravagant lobby. Up ahead was the check-in desk where a large monitor could be seen with the words "Fight Roster" displayed at the top. There were thirty numbered lines below the title and no names had been filled in yet.

"So how do we know when and who we are going to be fighting?" Asuka wondered aloud as they neared the check-in desk.

"After all registered fighters arrive, the matches are set up randomly." Lei explains. "I am unsure of whether or not the rules will be changing this year, being that the host of this Iron Fist Tournament is unknown to the public. In the past, either Hehachi Mishima or his son Kazuya Mishima have been the calling hosts of the tournament- but Hehachi is dead and Kazuya is rumored to have no idea who called this tournament to be either. I didn't want to say anything to you before, but I have a very unsettling feeling in my gut about this tournament. The fourth tournament ended just six months ago and now, this fifth tournament is taking place. I don't understand why it is happening so suddenly, but I guess we shall find out."

Asuka said nothing more as they approached the front desk. A Japanese woman with beautiful raven hair in a crop-cut smiled at the two of them before placing two manila envelopes on the countertop with their names on them.

"I am so pleased to have learned that you have arrived. I hope that your trip here was safe and I hope that you will enjoy your stay here at the Hotel Monterey Kyoto. My name is Amaya and I am the manager here at the hotel. I have been put in charge of you and the other guests during your stay here for the duration of the tournament. I promise you that your stay here will be most enjoyable. Each fighter has their own private suite on the top floor. Each suite includes a king sized mattress, Jacuzzi bathtub and walk-in shower, a living area, and a small kitchen. Since you all will be staying here for approximately a month, we want to ensure that your stay here will be the most comfortable. You will have the room to yourself, no roommates allowed at the risk of cheating and scheming during the tournament. The hotel does have a pool and a sauna for your enjoyment and there is also a training room complete with a gym and a sparring room. There are two bars on the ground level of the hotel and there are several attractions on this main strip of town where I am sure you can pass the time."

Amaya handed Asuka and Lei their folders and smiled. "Each folder contains your profile as it will be listed on the roster during the tournament. Should you want anything changed at any time, do not hesitate to let me know and I will have the errors corrected. Also, the folders contain your room keys and special pass keys to get back into the hotel after hours and to access all recreational areas in the hotel. There is also contact information should you need to get a hold of any staff members during your stay. Any questions?"

Asuka nodded. "When will our first matches be posted to the roster monitor?"

"It appears that you two are the last competitors to have arrived. Kazuya Mishima is choosing to stay at a private villa during the tournament and therefore does not need to be accounted for. There will be an announcement for all fighters to report back here once the roster has been sent to us. I will see you then."

Lei smiled at the woman who in turn blushed before busying herself with her work once more. Asuka rolled her eyes at the two of them before opening her folder and pulling out her room key.

"It looks like I am staying in room eight-o-seven." She said as she held the keycard in her hand.

Lei pulled his out and smiled. "I have room eight-twenty. At least we'll know where the other is should we need anything."

"Lei Wulong, is that you?" a voice came from ahead. Asuka and Lei looked up just in time to see Marshall Law walking towards them wearing baggy gray sweats with a matching sweat jacket. Lei's face lit up at the sight of his friend and he walked over to give him a hug, leaving Asuka standing in the middle of the lobby awkwardly.

"Aren't you getting a little too old for these tournaments my friend?" Lei asked with a laugh.

Law punched his arm playfully before smirking. "Hey now, I am only forty-eight. You seem to forget you are only a year younger than I am. So if I'm old, so are you."

"I didn't expect to see you back here at the tournament." Lei said as he folded his arms over his chest. "After the last tournament when your restaurant fell through, I figured you were going to try and get it up and running again?"

Law waved the idea off as though it were nothing. "Didn't I tell you? I lost my restaurant title after roughing up a rude customer. I'm running a dojo now and closed it temporarily in my absence. Forest was involved in a serious accident on Paul's motorcycle and now, I have to pay Paul to cover the damage done to his bike and I need money to cover Forest's hospital bills."

"So…prize money?" Lei asked with a smile.

Law nodded with a laugh before looking over his friend's shoulder towards Asuka. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Asuka Kazama." Lei said as he stepped aside and motioned for Asuka to come closer. "Believe it or not, she is Jun Kazama's niece."

Law's face seemed surprised at the news. "Well, may I say it is an honor to be meeting another fighter of the Kazama clan? I do hope that you are as skilled of an opponent as she was. I feel very lucky to have known her while she was alive."

Asuka smiled at him before motioning towards the elevator. "I'm going to head up to my room while the two of you finish catching up. I guess I'll see you when the roster is posted."

"Right, see you then." Lei said with a wave.

Asuka stepped onto the elevator and pressed the button for the eighth floor before leaning against the back wall and sighing. She figured calling her mom to apologize was at the top of her priority list. After all, she had left in such a hurry in spite of her mother's protests and knew she was probably going to be grounded until graduation if she didn't call and explain herself. Reaching into the collar of her shirt to pull her phone out of her bra, she began to scroll down the screen in search of her mother's number. The elevator dinged and she reached a hand out for the handle of her bag before heading out of the elevator, her eyes never leaving her contact list. Just as she had found her mother's number, she slammed into someone and fell onto her bottom dropping her suitcase and her phone while the other person spit out a slew of curses.

"What the hell, can you watch where you're going you idiot?"

Asuka growled angrily and looked up, prepared to give the person a piece of her mind, but she stopped herself as she took in the sight of the man before her. He was dressed in tight fighting cargo pants with belt buckles wrapped up the pants legs and he was wearing a fitted tank top with orange on the sides, a dark green in its middle that matched the shade of his pants. He had spiked red hair that was thrown back with a pair of goggles holding it in place. The man was gorgeous.

"What the hell are you gawking at?" he snapped as he stood to his feet and brushed himself off. He spotted his spilled cup of coffee lying on the floor on top of a giant stain and his frown deepened. He resumed his yelling again, snapping Asuka out of her trance and she stood to her feet abruptly and balled her fists at her side.

"What the hell asshole, I'm not deaf, you don't have to scream. I wasn't paying attention, I got that much, but do you have to yell like a fucking drill sergeant? For heaven's sake, it was a cup of coffee that I can assume was free and you didn't get a drip on you. Is it seriously going to kill you if you have to turn back around and make another one? Get over yourself!"

The man grit his teeth prepared to give her an earful, but Asuka proceeded to gather her things and make her way down the hall.

"I'm going to go and unpack now. If you want to continue standing there throwing a temper tantrum, go right ahead. I'm not going to stop you."

Asuka could hear the man blow air through his nose and she smiled victoriously as she continued the walk to her room.

"Well, you sure managed to piss him off." A voice came from behind her as she stopped at her door. Asuka looked up and her eyes widened at the sight of a beautiful, brown skinned girl standing in front of her wearing a tight, blue halter top that seemed to put heavy emphasis on her chest. The woman's hair was a beautiful golden brown that was pulled up into a high ponytail to show off her flawless skin and beautiful smile. Asuka was uncomfortable to say the least.

"He's just mad because I ran into him and spilled his coffee." She said as she unlocked her room and made her way inside. "He'll get over it."

"I don't know." The woman said with a small laugh as she leaned against the doorframe, not wanting to enter without Asuka's permission. "Hwoarang really knows how to hold a grudge. His grudges are what keeps him coming back year after year for these tournaments."

Asuka nodded as she looked around the large room. It certainly was exquisite and had the tournament officials not been paying for it, she would refuse to stay. She set her suitcase on the bed and began removing her clothing and setting it out in neat little piles.

"I'm Christie Monteiro by the way." The woman spoke as she shifted her position against the door from and waved. "What's your name?"

"Asuka Kazama."

Christie's eyes widened. "Wait a minute…are you in any way related to Jin Kazama?"

Asuka nodded her head. "I don't remember too much about him. The last I saw Jin, we were little kids at a family reunion. His mother was my aunt and they lived in a secluded forest hours away from where I lived. We rarely got to see them, so I wouldn't doubt it if he has forgotten who I am."

Christie grew awkwardly quiet, biting her bottom lip as she looked away from Asuka and focused instead on a painting of a lake just on the inside of the room. Asuka huffed before zipping her bag shut and tossing it carelessly to the floor.

"Just because Jin and I share the same last name, that doesn't mean we are the same person Christie. God, is everyone I meet going to judge me just because of the last name I carry?"

"Wait a minute Asuka, I didn't mean to upset you." Christie said as she stepped inside the room, the door swinging shut behind her. "You are right, I shouldn't judge you just because of your last name. If anything, I should be flattered to be meeting someone carrying the Kazama name. In spite of what I have heard about Jin…I know that his family possesses great fighting power. Who knows, maybe we'll wind up facing each other during the tournament?"

Asuka managed to smile, her anger fading away quickly. "Yeah, that definitely sounds like a great idea. I saw your fight on television a few months back during the fourth tournament. Your fighting style is…different. Almost like a dance."

Christie nodded as she took a seat at the foot of the bed to watch Asuka put her clothes away in the provided dresser.

"It's called Capoeira. I managed to learn and master the unique fighting style in just two years. I had a very good teacher."

Asuka finished placing the last of her clothes into her dresser while the two of them continued to gab about random things- their home countries, their favorite fighting moves, their expectations for the tournament. Just as Asuka closed her dresser drawer, a strange beeping noise could be heard out in the hallway. The girls exchanged a glance before heading out into the hall. Several other fighters were emerging just as they had in order to locate the source of the annoying sound.

_Attention all Tekken fighters, the roster for the King of Iron Fist Tournament Five has just been posted in the lobby. Please report downstairs immediately to view your placement matches and await further instruction._

Christie smiled excitedly before grabbing Asuka's hand and tugging her down the hall towards the staircase, too eager to wait for the elevator. The two of them flew through the door of the first floor and skidded to a stop just in front of the counter to check their assignment for tomorrow's placement match.

Asuka read over the names carefully, unsure of who any of the other opponents other than Christie, Hwoarang, Law, and Lei were. She smiled at the sight of Lei going up against Law in the placement match tomorrow. Christie was scheduled to fight against someone known as Raven. Asuka continued to read over the list in search of her name and raised an eyebrow when she noticed that her match was to be the second match of the day against someone named Yoshimitsu.

"Yoshimitsu…what an odd name." Asuka said with a strange look on her face.

Christie gasped. "You have to fight Yoshimitsu in your placement battle? Talk about unfair. The guy is the only fighter who uses a weapon when he fights. He has this special sword that he uses to attack during battle. I was able to defeat him during the fourth tournament thanks to my significant ability to dodge attacks from a low angle."

"I'm not scared." Asuka declared triumphantly as she pumped a fist into the air. "I can handle anything and anyone who crosses my path no sweat."

Asuka turned abruptly, prepared to head back to her room, only to come face to face with Hwoarang. He had an arrogant smirk on his face as he stood there, his arms crossed over his chest.

"You can handle anyone huh?" he asked. "Are you sure about that? This tournament isn't an alley fight. You are standing here amongst some of the greatest warriors from around the world. You should get out while you're ahead."

Asuka grit her teeth as she tried to contain her temper. "Who the hell do you think you are you arrogant prick?"

"I'm the guy whose coffee you knocked over earlier today." He replied before adjusting the goggles on his head.

"That's not what I meant dipshit. Just who the hell do you think you are? Do you honestly think I don't have what it takes to make it through this tournament? For your information, I can handle anything and anyone that comes my way. I have what it takes to win this tournament and I'm not going to let a self-righteous, egotistical son of a bitch deter me from my goals- do you got that?"

Hwoarang's smirk remained on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest and approached her. He was only five inches taller than her but it still seemed as though he towered over her- but that didn't deter her one bit.

"You're a feisty one, aren't you?" he asked.

Asuka gritted her teeth and balled up her fists before pointing a warning finger in his face. "I am going to exact my revenge on Feng Wei for attacking my father and once I have defeated him, I'm coming after your sorry ass. You watch yourself."

Hwoarang watched as a fuming Asuka stormed away from him back towards her room while Christie walked to stand beside him.

"Well, you certainly managed to get her worked up." She said with a sigh. "But honestly Hwoarang, why bother picking a fight with her? I mean, you barely know the girl."

"What, and you do?" he asked with a raised eyebrow as he spared her a glance out the corner of his eye.

"We just met today, but I can already tell she has great fighting spirit and power beyond belief. She's a Kazama you know?"

Hwoarang turned to her with a look of surprise on his face. "What do you mean she's a Kazama? Is she related to that asshole Jin?"

Christie nodded as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, they're cousins- although she's pretty certain Jin doesn't remember her since they were merely children last time they saw or spoke to one another."

"Interesting…"

"All that aside, I wish you the best of luck in your placement match tomorrow. Maybe we'll get to go up against one another this time around."

"Most definitely." Hwoarang said as Christie headed off in the direction Asuka took off in earlier. He watched her intently as she disappeared from his sights before turning around to view the board once more. His eyes moved over the board, skimming briefly over his scheduled match with Ganryu before stopping to rest on Asuka and Yoshimitsu's match.

"Hmm…looks like her match is after mine tomorrow. I guess I can sneak on over to the waterfall and see what this chick is made of. Should be an interesting match."

* * *

><p><span><strong>AN:**** And so ends the very first chapter. I really hope you guys are intrigued enough to continue reading. Please leave me a review to let me know what you thought of the chapter and I will see you at the next update.**

**-KairiAngel13**


	2. Pre-Gaming

**A/N:**** Hey guys, I'm back with the next update after weeks of editing and I have to say that I am finally pleased with the results. Thanks to the five readers who left me a review, I really appreciate it since reviews are what encourage me to keep on with a story.**

**So this chapter is basically a filler chapter before the placement match begins and it is pretty lengthy- but it is very entertaining if I do say so myself. After all, this story is a romance/adventure story, so I have to throw in some filler chapters in order to get the cannon romance going for this fanfic.**

**Another quick side note before you start reading, there is an actual timeline for when all of the Tekken tournaments take place during the game's storyline. So for those of you who are unaware of the time constraints:**

**First Tournament (1985), Second Tournament (1987), Third Tournament (2006), Fourth Tournament (2008), Fifth Tournament (2008), and the Sixth Tournament (2009).**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Namco's popular fighting video game series **_**Tekken**_**- but if I did, that would be the greatest feeling in the world!**

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>Pre-Gaming"<strong>_

Asuka pushed the door to her suite open in a huff and stomped over to her bed to collapse on the plush mattress. Her body was swallowed up by the blankets and pillows as she rolled over to lie on her back. She heard the door close just a few minutes later and she sighed- realizing she wasn't alone. There was only one person she could think of who would have come after her- Christie.

"You shouldn't allow him to get to you so much." Christie's voice floated over to her ears softly as she walked over and took a seat on the foot of the bed. "I had to learn that lesson for myself. Hwoarang uses his mouth to fight more than his fists. He likes to get his competitors all worked up so their concentration falters and most times, it works."

Asuka sat up quickly, the mattress bouncing beneath her bottom as she glared at Christie. "I don't care what his strategy is- I don't like him. So far, the only things he has managed to do since I met him is yell, scream, and test my patience. I pray to Kami that we have a match together during this tournament so I can knock that cocky grin off his face."

Christie stared at Asuka for a moment, debating on what to say next- but rather than upset her friend more, she stood from the bed and stretched her arms above her head.

"Listen Asuka, do you want my advice on getting through this tournament?"

Asuka sighed as she laid back down, her arms folded behind her head. "What Christie?"

"If you have a personal agenda for winning this tournament- just focus on that and nothing else. Don't let these other competitors get into your head. Just know that you will reach your goal no matter what it takes. Have faith and confidence in yourself that you will do well."

"I already know that Christie, you don't have to tell me this."

Christie sighed as she turned around and walked to the side of the bed so she was within Asuka's linear view.

"Asuka, if you really were focused on your personal motives for this tournament, you wouldn't allow Hwoarang or anyone else for that matter to deter your emotions. Just ignore the guy, okay?"

Asuka sighed before standing from the bed and heading over to the kitchen area of her suite. She pulled the fridge open and was amazed at how much food was inside. As she skimmed over its contents, she realized she had just enough to make a decent home styled dish.

"Let's not talk about the tournament anymore." Asuka said as she reached into the defroster and grabbed hold of a perfectly prepared, raw fish. "Would you like to stay for dinner? I have everything I need to whip up a traditional Japanese dish. We could…get to know each other a little more."

"That sounds great Asuka. Oh, would you mind if I invited a friend? I kind of promised her we could have dinner tonight as well."

Asuka set the fish on the counter as she began searching for a cutting board. "Are you sure you just don't want to go and eat with her then? I mean, you guys already had plans together first."

"It's no trouble at all. Ling Xiaoyu always has a flexible schedule, and I can already tell that the two of you are going to get along very well. You already have something in common."

Asuka raised an eyebrow as she set the cutting board on the counter and turned around to give Christie a questioning look. "We do?"

Christie nodded as she headed for the door. "Jin Kazama." She called over her shoulder as she headed out into the hall.

* * *

><p>Hwoarang walked through the sliding doors of the training room, his drawstring bag draped over his shoulder as he strode across the room and over to a wall of lockers on the adjacent walls. He spied a Marshall Law sitting on the floor in a half lotus position, his back to the rest of the room as he meditated peacefully, ignoring the sounds of fists and feet colliding with the punching bags hanging from the ceiling. Hwoarang looked to his right and spied another man in the same exact position facing the other way. He was a black man with a huge scar in the shape of an X covering his face, hidden behind a pair of aviators. Hwoarang smiled as he admired the custom buzz cut resting against the man's skull.<p>

He reached the wall of lockers and looked over the names placed on small laminated cards where the locker numbers were usually posted and smiled as he found his name. After swiping his card in the provided scanner, he pulled the door open and proceed to stuff his bag and shoes inside before removing his clothing, revealing his white gi beneath them. After wrapping his hands securely, he made his way over to one of the punching bags provided and raised his arms as he took his stance.

He stared at the bag for a while, contemplating which move to make first. Ganryu was his scheduled fight during the placement match tomorrow and he had to defeat the guy in record time to please his fans and gain a higher ranking for the tournament. The only problem was figuring out the guy's weakness and how to take him down. He had never fought the guy before and last anyone had seen him, he had entered the second King of Iron Fist Tournament back in 1987, which was well over twenty years ago.

With this information in mind, Hwoarang spared a glance at Marshall Law who was still meditating peacefully. Rumor has it, he was one of the oldest and greatest fighters in the history of Tekken and had entered ever tournament with the exception of the third. Perhaps he could share some of his wisdom on the guy?

Just as he prepared to head over to him, the doors slid open revealing Steve Fox. He gave Hwoarang a cocky smile as he passed by and headed over to the lockers to put his things away.

"I thought I might find you in here." Steve said as he slid his shirt over his head so he was bare chested, wearing nothing but his red, white and blue shorts and shoes.

Hwoarang smirked as he leaned back against the punching bag and folded his arms over his chest. "What did you expect? I take these tournaments seriously and I have to stay on top of my game."

Just then, the punching bag moved back against Hwoarang's weight and gave way, sending Hwoarang flat on his back. Steve chuckled as he closed his locker and moved to help his friend up. Hwoarang took Steve's hand and stood up to brush himself off quickly and try to rid himself of his embarrassment.

"On top of your game huh?" Steve said as he tried to contain his laughter.

Hwoarang brushed his comment off and turned to steady the bag. "So, who are you scheduled to fight tomorrow?"

"Bryan Fury." Steve said as he slid his boxing gloves on. "Should make for an interesting match."

"I'll say. That guy shows no mercy under any circumstances. I fought him during the last tournament and let me tell you, I was amazed that I won that fight. I was ready to call it quits after one punch."

"That bad huh?" Steve asked as he spared his friend a glance.

Hwoarang nodded. "He has so much power behind each punch he throws at you and he never tires, believe me, I tried to wear him down."

"So how'd you beat him?"

Hwoarang closed his eyes as he thought back to the match between him and Bryan a few months back on the rainy street of Shinjuku while several onlookers and shoppers passed by cheering their heads off as they watched them do battle.

"I spent a majority of my time blocking out his punches, trying to get a few decent kicks in here and there. I finally managed to get an opening with a right jab to the face and knocked him to the ground with a perfectly executed spinning back kick. I knocked him out with a single axe kick and that did him in since it was a direct blow to his chest. I knocked the wind out of him."

"Impressive." Steve said with a smile. "There's just one thing, kicking isn't my think. I'm a boxer."

"Well then Steve, I wish you the best of luck. Bryan can use both his fists and his legs, so make sure whatever you dish out, it's powerful."

Steve nodded before turning his attention to his punching bag as he began to execute a few combos. Left, right, jab blow, repeat. Left, right, jab blow, repeat.

Hwoarang watched him in silence for a moment before turning to his own bag to run through a few hit and kicks himself. The two of them focused on their hits for almost ten straight minutes without breaking a sweat and spared small glances at both Marshall Law and the unknown stranger as they made their leave from the room. Hwoarang stopped as the door slid shut behind them and rested a hand against his bag as he took a few breaths to calm his racing heart. Steve stopped just moments later to do the same.

"So what's up with you and that new girl I saw you arguing with earlier today?" Steve asked as he turned to his friend. "She looked ready to rip into you."

Hwoarang smirked cockily as he headed over to the provided fridge in the room to snag a bottled water. "Nothing's up, I just wanted to try and figure her out a little, you know? She's got quite the temper on her, that's for sure."

"Look who's talking." Steve said with a laugh as he began a new combo on the bag.

"Hey, I am nowhere near as short tempered as she is. Anyways, Christie says she's related to Kazama."

"Jin?" Steve asked, surprise in his voice.

"The one and only." Hwoarang said as he took a swig from his bottle. "I guess they're cousins or something along those lines. They're related and that's all that matters to me. Anyone connected to the Mishimas in any way, shape, or form is automatically bad news in my eyes. She thinks she has this whole tournament thing figured out. Says she can handle anyone who gets in her way. I'm going to catch her placement match tomorrow and see what she's made of."

"Worried that she might affect your rankings in the tournament?"

"If anyone should be worried, it's her."

* * *

><p>Asuka smiled as she put the finishing touch on her Hamachi dish, a teriyaki glaze. Even though the dish would pale in comparison to her mother's, she had to say she was very pleased with how it turned out. She was in need of a decent meal after all the stress she'd endeavored today and she knew it was going to taste great.<p>

As she moved from the table to rinse out the teriyaki dish and grab the pan of vegetables and rice, there was a light knock on the door.

"Come in." she called out, not bothering to look up from the sink.

"Hey, we're here." Christie called out cheerfully as she and Xiaoyu stepped into the room, the door closing with a soft thud behind them.

Asuka looked over her shoulder and smiled at the two of them before motioning for them to take a seat. "I hope you guys like fish."

"Oh wow, Hamachi." Xiaoyu exclaimed as she took her seat. "I haven't had it since my parents passed away. It looks delicious."

Asuka smiled before putting the remaining dishes in the sink and joining her friends at the table. They were silent as they passed bowls around to scrape food onto their plates and slowly began eating.

"So Xiaoyu, I hope you don't mind that I ruined yours and Christie's plans." Asuka said, striking up a conversation.

"It's no problem at all Asuka. When Christie said she had met a new competitor, I was eager to come along and meet you. Is it true, are you really…Jin's cousin?"

Asuka couldn't help but to notice how Xiaoyu's expressions saddened as the boy's name left her lips. She smiled anyways before nodding.

"I don't remember him all that well and I can only guess that he's on the same page that I am. I was about six the last time I saw him or my aunt and he was about nine. After that, he and my Aunt Jun sort of fell off the grid. Our families lost contact with each other and we rarely got any phone calls or letters. Next thing I know, we're learning that my aunt had been murdered and Jin was entering the third tournament- but enough about rough family history. How do you two know each other?"

Xiaoyu set her chopsticks down beside her plate and smiled. "Jin and I went to Mishima Polytechnic high school together. He was a senior when I enrolled as a freshman and we became really good friends, but he wound up dropping out of school just a few months shy of graduation. We haven't really spoken much since."

An awkward silence crept into the room as Xiaoyu began playing with one of her pigtails and Christie quickly cleared her throat to break the silence.

"So Xiaoyu, who are you scheduled to fight tomorrow?"

"Anna Williams." She said with a frown. "I swear, it should be a rule that competitors are forbidden to fight in high heels."

"Wait a minute, she fights in heels?" Asuka said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yep, red pumps and they hurt a lot." Xiaoyu said with a scrunched up face. "I fought her during the third tournament and she practically wiped the floor with me. I managed to pull myself out and on top of the match but still, I had bruises that wouldn't go away for at least three weeks."

Asuka and Christie laughed as Xiaoyu resumed eating her meal.

"It sounds like the competitors in this tournament are pretty tough." Asuka commented as she scraped the remaining rice and vegetables out of her bowl. "I've got to admit, I'm a little on edge. I know I can handle myself it's just, you never know. I'm just here to defeat the jackass who attacked my father and our family dojo, but I can't help to feel that there is something wrong about this whole tournament."

"Wrong?" Christie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, almost like there's some high entity behind this whole thing. I don't remember the flyer for the tournament saying anything about the host, do you?"

"Now that you mention it, there wasn't a name." Christie said as she set her emptied bowl on the table top. "All of the flyers usually have one of the Mishima's names in huge print on the bottom but this one is anonymous."

Xiaoyu thought over the situation as her mind ventured back to the third tournament where Hehachi had called the tournament with further intentions of evoking Ogre into wreaking havoc upon the competitors. She shivered as she recalled the hideous green creature on the screen back at the hotel as she collected her things, having been defeated by Bryan Fury during the tournament.

"Maybe we do have something to worry about." She said as she too set her emptied bowl on the table. "I guess we won't find out who truly called this tournament to be until the tournament begins."

"Yeah, if we last long enough to make it to the final round." Christie said as she folded her arms across her chest and pouted.

"Come on, don't talk like that." Asuka said with a roll of her eyes. "Weren't you just going on and on to me earlier about keeping my mind focused on my goals to make it through the tournament?"

"Hey, I was giving you the pep talk." Christie said.

"What, so you aren't going to take your own advice?"

"Okay, everyone calm down." Xiaoyu said with a small giggle. "Let's not worry about that right now. It's the night before the placement matches and two nights before the tournament even begins. So, what do you say we have a little fun to celebrate our being here?"

"What did you have in mind?" Christie asked.

Asuka frowned at the sick, happy grin plastered on Xiaoyu's face. For some reason, she knew she wasn't going to like the girl's plans.

* * *

><p>Lei ran a hand over his face to try and wipe the sleep from his eyes as he sat on his bed staring at the screen of his laptop. He had been reading through case files of Feng Wei's attacks on the dojos back in Osaka, being sure to go over every single detail of the attack just in case he would be authorizing the arrest of the power-crazed man. He stifled a yawn before closing the lid of his computer and standing to take a small break. He sauntered over to the large-faced window to the right of his bed and twisted the blinds open to gaze out upon the beauty of the late night Kyoto sky. The city was illuminated with thousands of lights and he could hear the distant bass of music playing at one of the nearby clubs. It was going on eleven and the streets were just as busy as they were during the daytime. He could see drunken college students stumbling down the sidewalks and a few happy, young couples making their way home after a long romantic evening of dinner and a movie. He smiled before turning away and heading out of his room.<p>

"I wonder if Asuka's still up?" he said to himself as he made his way down the hall. He could hear female voices and giggling as he neared the hallway corner and smiled as he walked around to find Christie and Xiaoyu leaning against the wall just outside of Asuka's door.

"Good evening ladies." He said with a smile as he admired the two young girls clad in promiscuous clothing. He had to clear his throat and look away to ignore the sight of Christie's cleavage practically screaming from beneath the sleeveless, lime green crop top she was wearing with white shorts and a set of lime green pumps.

"Oh, hello Mr. Wulong." Xiaoyu said politely as she tugged at the pink miniskirt she was wearing to pull it down a little more, embarrassed to be in his presence dressed in such a manor. "It's nice to be seeing you again. My grandfather told me you were going to be entering the tournament."

"Yes I am. If you don't' mind my asking, what are you ladies up to tonight?"

"We're going out to see what Kyoto has to offer us." Xiaoyu said cheerfully. "The night is young and we deserve to have a little fun during this tournament when we aren't constantly worried about our own personal endeavors."

"You do have a point. I take it Asuka is going with the two of you?"

Christie nodded. "I don't think the whole nightclub scene is her thing, but we finally convinced her to come along with us after an entire hour of begging with promises of strict training in the morning."

"Oh, I guess I'll just talk to her tomorrow then."

Just as he prepared to turn and leave, Asuka's door opened as she groaned asking Xiaoyu if she really had to wear the outfit she had picked out for her. Lei looked up and took a deep breath, suddenly feeling lightheaded at the sight of the teenager he was looking after during the tournament standing before him dressed in tight, leather black pants, matching heels, and a peacock-colored belly shirt with long-sleeves, a V-neck with see-through gauze covering over the center of her chest revealing the path just above her cleavage.

"Detective Wulong, what are you doing here?" Asuka asked, the words flying out of her mouth, embarrassed at being seen in such clothing.

"I was just coming to check in on you but I see that you have other plans tonight. I'll just see you in the morning. You ladies have a good time!" Lei spat the words out quickly before turning on his heels and high-tailing it back to his suite.

Asuka cleared her throat before scratching the back of her head. "I have to say…that was one of the most awkward and uncomfortable moments of my entire life."

"Don't worry, you'll forget all about it in no time." Christie said, waving the idea off. "Now come on, we have to head to this club a few blocks over. They serve all of the tournament competitors free drinks!"

"Wait a minute Christie, none of us are old enough to drink." Xiaoyu pointed out, reminding the girl that they were only nineteen.

"Yeah, but we're famous now you guys. We're three of the seven female fighters entered in this tournament. We're going to be all over the television and we'll have people begging for our autographs and numbers all night. The bartenders will be more than happy to have us in their abodes."

"If you say so." Xiaoyu said as she slid a white jacket over her bare arms, leaving it unbuttoned so her yellow sequined halter-top could still be seen. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>Asuka walked a few steps behind Christie and Asuka as the excitedly made their way towards the long waiting line outside of the nightclub. The building had a large neon sign above the door labeled the Kai Ayashii- the supernatural. Asuka raised an eyebrow before going to stand in the long queue long behind the other eighty people who were waiting to get inside. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. This was her first visit to a nightclub after all and she wasn't exactly used to these kinds of things. Her idea of fun was racing through the streets of downtown Osaka and kicking the asses of lowlife thugs who would rather pick on the weak and feebleminded that do something productive with her life. When she wasn't doing that, she was either helping her father and mother around the family dojo or at school. Dancing the night away while intoxicated at a club wasn't her thing- but Christie and Xiaoyu were so happy and they had agreed to training with her if they could go out; so there she was, standing outside a largely packed club at twelve in the morning dressed like a skank with makeup plastered on her face and her hair curled- courtesy of Xiaoyu.<p>

They had been standing in line for almost an hour when they finally reached the bouncer at the door. He was a large guy with muscles, a shiny bald head, and a goatee clad in a black suit and a pair of aviators. He looked down at the three of them and raised an eyebrow.

"Not that it's not nice to see you ladies, but you three couldn't possibly be twenty-one."

Xiaoyu and Asuka exchanged a worried glance, but Christie was already on top of things as she strode over to the man, her hips swaying with each step she took, as she rested a hand on his shoulders and gave him a seductive smiled before looking him over.

"Hey there big guy, I know you don't want to be the cause of ruining my night out with my girls. We have a big day tomorrow you know."

"Big day?" he repeated.

"Oh yes, you see, we're competing in the King of Iron Fist Tournament and we just want to have a little fun dancing and throwing our stresses away before we have to battle in the morning. So, what do you say? Do you think you could make an exception just this once and let us in?"

"Nice try baby cakes, but it's not going to work on me. You must think I'm really stupid?"

"That's a shame." Christie said with a playful pout. "Looks like I'm going to have to try a little harder to convince you."

Before Xiaoyu and Asuka could even comprehend what was happening, Christie moved away from the guy and did a back handspring before staring her Capoeira dance and executing a few moves midair, stunning the bouncer and a few of the people standing in line behind them. The bouncer removed his aviators and stared at the girl in shock as she stopped moving and dusted off her shorts before strutting back over to him.

"You're Christie Monteiro." He said as his shocked face turned into a smile. "Wow, I watched you fight during the fourth tournament a while back. You were amazing."

"Yes, I was- now if you'll be so kind?"

"Step right on in ladies." He said as he stepped aside and held his hands out to let them through.

Christie smiled and blew the guy a kiss before walking into the building with a stunned Xiaoyu and Asuka on her tail.

The music increased in volumes as they walked into the club and Asuka couldn't help but to be amazed at the entirety of the room. There were neon lights flashing everywhere and smoke machines filling the room with purple fog as hundreds of sweaty bodies danced around the room to American artist Madonna's 4 Minutes as it blazed through the several overhead speakers. There was a bar straight ahead of them and off to the right where a crowd was gathered around the counter passing dollar bills to the four working bartenders as they scurried to fill as many drink orders as they could.

"Isn't this place awesome?" Christie shouted over all the noise.

Xiaoyu nodded excitedly as she looked around the room. "I've never been to a nightclub before. So far, I'm pretty impressed."

Asuka smiled softly and gave Christie a thumbs-up, not wanting to press the matter further. Christie then led the two of them over to an emptied booth and motioned for them to take a seat.

"I'll be right back, I'm going to go and snag us a few drinks. Don't go anywhere."

Xiaoyu gave her a small wave and the two of them watched as Christie disappeared in the crowd of clubbers. She then turned to Asuka who sitting shyly on the other side of the table.

"So tell me Asuka, what do you really think about this place?" Xiaoyu pried.

Asuka scratched the back of her head nervously. "I guess you can say I am way out of my comfort zone right now. We're sitting in a room filled with sweaty, drunk people who are way too loud and obnoxious."

"They're just having a little fun Asuka, that's all."

Asuka rolled her eyes as she prepared to throw another insult out about the group of college students grinding away near the bathroom hall when suddenly, a loud obnoxious laugh reached her ears. Asuka and Xiaoyu both looked up just in time to see Hwoarang stumbling across the dance floor with Steve Fox in tow, the two of them singing loudly to the music while holding a beer bottles in their hand. Asuka's eyes narrowed as she glared at the red-head and Xiaoyu didn't fail to notice.

"What's the matter Asuka?"

"It's nothing." Asuka said shaking her head before turning to Xiaoyu. "I just thought I saw something, that's all."

"Well look who it is Steve." Hwoarang's voice reached their ears as he and Steve approached their table. "It's the little firebomb herself."

"I don't think you know this, but this table is off limits to overrated jackasses." Asuka said, slapping her palm down on the tabletop. Hwoarang smirked before taking a seat beside her in the booth. Steve walked to the other side to take a seat beside Xiaoyu.

"Well lucky for you, I don't listen to rules, I break them." He said, the arrogant look still on his face. "So you ladies are out for a night on the town huh? I almost didn't recognize you Asuka. You clean up pretty good."

Steve and Xiaoyu could literally cut the tension in the air with a knife as they watched Asuka's eye twitch. She curled her hands into fists, her knuckles turning white from the amount of force she was using.

"You know what, I think I'm just going to head back to the hotel. I knew this was a stupid idea in the first place."

Asuka stood to leave, but Hwoarang reached out quickly and grabbed wrist before she could climb over his lap.

"Look, I'm sorry okay. I didn't mean to upset you."

"Yeah, sure you didn't." Asuka said as she sat back down and scooted away from him to pout.

"Let's just forget about this little squabble and try to enjoy the rest of our night Asuka." Xiaoyu said trying to lighten the mood. "This is Steve Fox, I don't think you two have met before."

"No, I don't think we have." Asuka said as she took Steve's extended hand and shook it politely. "It's nice to meet you Steve. I also saw a few of your matches during the previous tournament. It's pretty cool you know? There aren't too many boxers that enter these tournaments since boxers only use their fists, but you managed to make it work rather perfectly if I do say so myself."

"Well thank you. I'm glad someone has managed to recognize the talent us boxers have."

Just then, Christie returned carrying three glasses- a mojito and two cosmos. She passed the drinks around the table and smiled at the sight of Steve and Hwoarang sitting in the booth.

"Well, it looks as though we have a few guests joining our party." She said as she took hold of her mojito and sat beside Steve. "Hwoarang, Steve, I'm glad you two decided to join us."

"It's always a pleasure to see you Christie." Steve said with a genuine smile. "I hope you don't mind that we decided to join you lovely ladies tonight."

"Not at all." She said before taking a sip. A satisfied smile spread across her face as the liquid down her throat. "Wow, this is one of the best mojitos I've ever had. Want a sip?"

She extended the glass out to Steve, but he shook his head before raising the beer bottle in his hand. "It isn't a good idea to mix different types of liquors if you don't want a severe hangover in the morning. I'm just going to stick with my Bud, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." Christie said with a smile before taking another sip.

Asuka stared at the cocktail glass in her hand, observing the lime wedge hanging over the glass containing the pink drink before bringing it to her lips and taking a small sip. The taste was overpowering at first, but slowly, she found her taste buds reacting to a sweet, citrusy taste that made her smile. She took a larger sip and could immediately feel the vodka working its magic in her head. She had never drank before and the feeling she had gotten from taking a few sips of her Cosmo made her feel as though she were floating on air. Just then, the beats of Janet Jackson's "Feedback" began blaring through the speakers and everyone who was out on the dance floor began cheering like wild maniacs, their fists pumping in the air as they took another sip of their drinks and grabbed the nearest person to them to start dancing. Christie downed the rest of her class and giggled excitedly before grabbing Steve's arm and pulling him out of the booth.

"Come on Steve, let's dance."

"I don't know Christie, it's not really my thing." He said in his thick accent, but Christie continued to tug on his arm until he was on his feet.

"Don't worry Steve, all you have to do is rock your hips. I'll handle the rest."

Xiaoyu giggled as she watched Christie and Steve disappear into the crowd of gathered clubbers before turning back to Hwoarang who was watching Asuka intently as she finished off her Cosmo. Suddenly, a strange feeling crept over her, and Xiaoyu looked around the room to find out just why. She briefly scanned over the crowd before her eyes rested on a very familiar blue and white sweat jacket with flames running up is back. She gasped as her hand began shaking. Hwoarang and Asuka watched as she slowly set her glass down and stood from the table.

"I-I'll be right back." She stammered before standing from the table and quickly making her way through the crowd in search of the hooded figure. Asuka and Hwoarang exchanged a worried glance before turning their attention back to their drinks.

"So I'm sorry I spilt coffee all over you today." Asuka said as she wrinkled her nose, unsure as to why she suddenly felt like talking. "I should've been watching where I was going and I definitely shouldn't have reacted the way I did. It was…childish."

"You're damn right. But…it's alright. Seeing how you reacted when I tried to take a hit at you definitely showed me that you have this little spark in you. You might do a good job in this tournament after all."

"Oh wow, you actually said something nice to me today." Asuka said with a smirk before taking a sip from her glass. "I didn't think you had a compassionate bone in your body."

Hwoarang shrugged before finishing off his beer. "Don't get too excited Kazama, I don't show my _compassionate _side very often. This is a onetime thing."

"Oh I see. You're trying to butter up the competition before the tournament starts so I'll go easier on you. Is that it?"

Hwoarang leaned towards her, his elbows resting on the table and looked her closely in the eyes. "Hey, you said it, not me."

Asuka leaned closer as well and smiled. "I'm still trying to figure you out Hwoarang. Are you really that threatened by me?"

Hwoarang shook his head. "If anyone should be feeling threatened during this tournament, it's you."

Asuka stiffened as Hwoarang's hand rested on her thigh. Under normal circumstances, she would give him a hard clock to the jaw and declare him to be a pervert, but she was currently buzzed from only one Cosmo and she had to admit, Hwoarang had never seemed more attractive to her than he did at that moment. She cleared her throat before scooting away from him and chugging the rest of her glass before sliding all the way around the booth to stand up on the other side.

"I'm going to step outside for some fresh air." She said as she smoothed out the wrinkles in her leather pants. "Please let Christie and Xiaoyu know where I went in case they get back before I do."

Hwoarang watched Asuka intently as she left, her hips swinging with each step she took and he had to take a deep breath to calm himself.

"What the hell just happened?" he asked himself.

* * *

><p>Xiaoyu moved through the crowd, apologizing as she bumped into an occasional partier. Her eyes remained focused ahead on the flame-designed sweat jacket, but the closer it seemed she was getting to the unknown person, the farther away it seemed to be. Finally, she scrambled out of the end of the crowd and saw the figure positioned at the ATM, their hood up masking their face from sight. Xiaoyu took a deep breath and walked so she was standing beside the man. She leaned against the wall casually and waited patiently for the guy to notice she was standing there.<p>

The man took the money as it dispensed through the slot and stuffed it into his wallet before placing it in his back pocket. He then turned to leave, stopping as he caught sight of Xiaoyu leaning against the wall, a hopeful look in her eyes. She couldn't see his face, just warm, golden irises staring back at her, sending a chilling feeling through her small frame. The man said nothing and walked past her before heading out the back door into the alley. Xiaoyu blinked, confused by his actions before running out the door after him.

"Jin?" she called out as the doors slammed shut behind her, but the hooded figure was nowhere to be seen. She frowned at the realization that he was gone and took a shuddering breath before turning around, defeated, to head inside. Just as her fingers wrapped around the handle, a hand rested on her shoulder, nearly causing her to jump out of her skin. She turned her head slowly and gasped at the sight of Jin standing there, his hood down.

Jin dropped his hand from her shoulder and buried it in his front pocket alongside the other. He said nothing as he stared at her and she blushed before tugging her skirt down once more.

"I'm surprised to see you here." She said nervously as she averted her gaze to the trash littered alley ground. "I didn't take you for the type who enjoyed the nightlife scene. Whatever your reasons for being here, I'm glad I ran into you."

Jin closed his eyes and sighed as he tried to think of the best way to approach what he needed to say. "What are you doing here Xiao?"

She raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "What else would I be doing here in Kyoto Jin? I'm entering Iron Fist. I…heard about what happened to your grandfather and it crushed me. Hehachi was a friend of mine and I know that the two of you had a falling out, for good reasons might I add- but I still cared for the man. Look, I met with this scientist that claims he can build me a time machine so I can go back and prevent him from dying."

Jin shook his head before looking up at the midnight sky overhead. "The past cannot be changed Xiao. Hehachi is dead and that is the way it should be. He can no longer cause pain and suffering in this world. Once I get rid of that spawn of Satan I have the displeasure of knowing to be my father, I can put an end to the Mishima bloodline once and for all. Now please Xiao, go back to the hotel and get your things and leave this tournament at once."

"No Jin, I am staying here." Xiaoyu said, putting her foot down. "I have to win this tournament and win that prize money so I can fulfill my goal. Don't you remember the last thing you said to me?"

Jin stared at her for a moment recalling their conversation in the emptied arena at the conclusion of the fourth tournament.

"You told me that if I have a dream that I want to come true, I should make it happen myself. Well, this is a dream of mine Jin and if I want to see it through, I have to compete in this tournament."

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into!" he shouted, startling her. He frowned when he realized he had frightened her. "Listen Xiao, you have to trust me on this. There is a very powerful entity behind this tournament and I do not want to see you get hurt."

"Well that makes two of us!" she said, feeling tears brimming in her eyes. "If there really is something else, something more sinister and evil behind this tournament, I don't want you to be a part of this either Jin- but you and I both know that you would never back out of this tournament, so I want either."

"Please Xiao." He said, his voice soft and pleading as he raised a hand to caress her cheek. "I don't want you to get hurt."

Xiaoyu leaned into his palm and reached her own hand up to rest on top of his. "Jin…I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

Just then, the door swung open and Asuka stumbled out into the alley spewing curses under her breath about Hwoarang being a creep and potential player. When she spotted Xiaoyu and Jin standing in front of her, she froze.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone was out here."

Jin's hand dropped from Xiaoyu's face and he took a step away from her. "That's fine, I was just leaving."

"Wait a second." Asuka called out to him as she tried to stop him. Jin froze mid-step and looked just slightly over his shoulder towards her. "You're…Jin Kazama, aren't you?"

Jin gave her a simple nod before disappearing quickly into the shadows. Xiaoyu reached a hand out to stop him, but he was already gone. She frowned before bringing her hand to rest on her bosom.

"Xiaoyu, I'm really sorry." Asuka said as she took a cautious step towards her. "It looks like I just ruined a very private moment between you guys."

"It's not your fault." Xiaoyu said as she wiped away the tears spilling down her face before forcing a smile and turning around to face her new friend. "You didn't interrupt anything. Jin and I were just clearing up a few things before the start of the tournament. So, what do you say we head back inside and enjoy the rest of our night?"

Asuka shook her head and smiled softly. "Actually, I'm sort of ready to call it a night. I gave the whole club scene a try and I can say, this life isn't for me. So, I'm just going to head back to the hotel."

"Well then, I'll go with you." Xiaoyu sighed. "Because all of a sudden, I don't feel partying that much either. I'll just go and tell Christie we're leaving."

"She won't mind that we're bailing on her?" Asuka asked, surprised by the suggestion.

Xiaoyu smiled and shook her head as she walked past her. "Of course she won't. Steve and Hwoarang will look after her. They're good friends, you know?"

Asuka nodded and watched Xiaoyu head inside before leaning against the wall of the building. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Jin reappeared in front of her.

"Oh, you're still here?" she asked as she cleared her throat and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I could've sworn I saw you leave."

"I did, but something compelled me to come back here." He said as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "There's something about you that's…all too familiar to me."

"So you do recognize me then?" she asked hopefully.

Jin shook his head. "That's not it at all. It's just that…you possess great spiritual energy, unlike that of any caliber I've seen in such a long time."

"Spiritual energy?" she asked, confused by what he meant. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about. Look, I don't know if you remember me, but I definitely remember you."

Jin raised an eyebrow, unsure of what she was talking about. Asuka sighed, realizing she was going to have to explain herself.

"The last time I saw you, I was only a little kid, so I don't remember too much about you. You've definitely changed a lot over the past thirteen years, that's for sure. That was the last time that I, or any of our family for that matter saw you or Aunt Jun."

Jin's eyes widened as he looked at the girl once more, really taking in her face- soft, delicate cream-colored skin, narrowed eyes with irises the color of warm chocolate and a smile almost identical to that of his late mother's. The devil gene began clawing at his mind, practically screaming for him to run away from the overpowering spiritual energy coming from the girl. He backed away slowly and shook his head before taking off in a sprint down the alley.

"Well, so much for a loving family reunion." Asuka muttered before kicking an emptied beer bottle across the gravel.

* * *

><p><span><strong>AN:**** And so ends another chapter. I really enjoyed writing this filler and there will definitely be more to come in the future. So what's going to happen during the next update? Well for starters, Asuka's placement match with Yoshimitsu is going to debut, so you don't want to miss it! So leave me a review, and I'll be back soon with the next chapter!**

**-KairiAngel13**


	3. Asuka Kazama VS Yoshimitsu

**A/N:**** Hello guys, I'm back with the next update after taking a small break to get all my ducks in a row. Thanks to everyone who have been reading and leaving reviews. They give me encouragement to continue with the story and the give me an idea as to where to take the story next. So kudos to you all!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own the popular Namco fighting series **_**Tekken **_**or any of its characters. I do own the rights to this story since I am the sole creator of its plot and all original characters featured; so please, NO STEALING MY IDEAS. Please, and thank you.**

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>Asuka Kazama vs. Yoshimitsu"<strong>_

Asuka stared intently at the punching bag hanging in front of her as her chest heaved with each breath she took. She was exhausted, having been training for nearly two hours now, but she wasn't ready to quit just yet. She launched towards the bag again and thrust her right palm forward, striking the bag's center hard enough to feel the sand shift and vibrate on the other side of the leather material before winding up her left arm and striking it with her left palm. She turned around, her left foot planted firmly on the floor, and kicked the bag with her free leg, hissing as the leather smacked against the bare skin of her leg, but she spun around again to kick with her left leg before going back to a palm thrust. After completing this combo successfully ten times, she stopped and leaned over, her hands resting on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. She could feel her hair hanging heavily over her sweaty brown and decided that she had done enough training for the day. She leaned upright and headed for her locker to grab her things when the sound of the door sliding open reached her ears.

Christie walked into the room slowly, her eyes heavy from a lack of sleep and her hair hanging loosely around her face. She stifled a yawn and waved at an on-looking Asuka before going to set her things in her locker.

"Good morning." She said, her voice raspy. "What happened to you and Xiaoyu last night? I couldn't find either of you when Steve and I went back to the table."

"Turns out the club scene just really isn't my thing." Asuka said with a shrug as she draped a towel around her neck and rolled her shoulders back. "Besides, Xiaoyu and I had a run-in with my long lost cousin and things got a little…tense. I don't know what the guy's problem is. I mean, it's obvious that he and Xiaoyu are close friends, yet he treats her like shit. Then I try to strike up a conversation and he gives me the most chilling look before leaving unannounced. I mean, who the hell does that prick think he is?"

"Family troubles huh?" Christie said, an amused smirk on her face.

"You don't even know the half of it." Asuka groaned as she finished dabbing the sweat from her face and tossed her towel into the dirty clothes bin nearby before taking hold of her bottled water. "Anyways, are you ready for your match today?"

Christie placed her hand to her chin as her brow furrowed. "I don't really know what to expect. This Raven guy is a new competitor and I'm not sure what to expect. I caught a glimpse of him in the lobby yesterday and he's really hard to read, especially with those sunglasses covering his face. That's the only thing I hate about new opponents is not even knowing where to begin when it comes to strategizing."

"Don't sweat it Christie, I'm sure you'll do fine."

Christie nodded, suddenly growing quiet as her face darkened. "I have to win this tournament and get that prize money. It's the only way I can afford for my grandpa to go through with his surgery. I wish I could just enjoy this tournament for the fun of it, but I have so much to accomplish."

Asuka rested a hand on the girl's shoulder, suddenly feeling sorry for her. She had no idea why Christie had entered the tournament and now, she felt bad. She squeezed her shoulder before dropping her hand and grabbing her things.

"My match starts in an hour. I had better get going."

Christie nodded, not bothering to look up as her friend left. Asuka sighed in relief as she exited the room and made her way to the elevators. When the doors slid open, she found Lei standing on the other side dressed in a button-up pink shirt, a blue tie, and shiny white pants with suspenders wrapped around his shoulders. He smiled as he stepped off, the door closing behind him.

"Well, it's nice to see you up and moving this morning. Did you and your friends have fun last night?"

Asuka shrugged. "It could have been better. I managed to meet my long lost cousin Jin. It wasn't the family reunion I was hoping for."

Lei's face grew serious. "You saw Kazama? What was he doing out at a night club. Better yet, what was he doing in town? I heard he wasn't staying in Kyoto during the tournament."

"He was using the ATM when Xiaoyu saw him and he was in a hurry to leave when I finally caught up to him. The guy is up to something, but I don't know what. Anyways, let's forget about that jerk. Did you manage to hear anything about Feng Wei?"

Lei nodded as he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. "He's checked in here at the hotel, but no one has seen him. I'm wondering if he's staying somewhere else because he knows I'm on his trail. We have to stay on our guard and be sure to stay focused on succeeding in this tournament. Feng Wei is an impeccable fighter and the only way to reach him in this tournament is to make our way past the competition."

"Do you mind explaining to me how this whole tournament works? I mean, when we're defeated in a match, are we automatically withdrawn from the tournament?"

"Not exactly. You see, you'll go through your placement match today and your fight will be recorded and ranked by the tournament officials. Your score determines who you will be put up against for your first match. If you win your match, you proceed to another match chosen based on your first match's rankings; but if you lose, you will have a chance to redeem yourself by fighting against another competitor who lost their first match. The cycle continues for weeks until one competitor is left standing. Then, they are sent off to fight the caller of the tournament who at this point, is still unknown."

Asuka seemed to linger on every word that left the man's mouth and Lei could tell how interested she was in the mechanics of the whole thing. Her eyes would light up and narrow as she took in the information and did her best to make sense of it all.

"So Lei, I know that you have participated in these Tekken tournaments ever since the second tournament was announced years ago. Have far have you managed to make it?"

Lei smiled. "I have never managed to make it past five rounds unfortunately. I hope that this year, I'll be able to beat my record and move up higher through the tournament."

Just then, a voice sounded over the intercom and echoed throughout the halls.

_Attention all competitors in the King of Iron Fist Tournament Five. The placement matches will be beginning in half-an-hour. The time of your matches and the location of your fight are located at the front desk. Please meet in the main lobby downstairs in thirty minutes so you can be deployed to your appropriate stages._

Asuka and Lei exchanged a glance and smiled.

* * *

><p>Asuka took a deep breath as she rode the elevator in silence. She could feel her heart pounding against her rib cage and her tongue twitching with excitement. She tugged at the tight body suit she was wearing over her sofie shorts and blue sports bra to air off her skin before stepping out of the now opened doors. The lobby was filled with competitors and she had to remind herself to say focused as she walked past them and up to the desk. Her eyes moved to the giant screen above the desk where the matches for the day were scheduled and she froze as she spied her match at the very top of the list- <strong>First Match: Yoshimitsu VS Asuka Kazama- Waterfall.<strong>

Asuka jumped as she felt a soft hand rest on her shoulder. She turned and smiled as Xiaoyu's soft face came into view.

"Are you ready for your match?" she asked, her voice like that of a songbird as she flashed a genuine smile.

Asuka smiled confidently and pumped her fist in the air. "I was born ready."

Xiaoyu nodded once as she dropped her hand from Asuka's shoulder. "Alright Asuka, just remember that Yoshimitsu is very sneaky and uses his ninjitsu skills to the best of his abilities. Don't let his sword psyche you out and should he happen to strike you with it, just focus on your adrenaline to move past the pain. Don't stay on top of him constantly because short-ranged attacks are the easiest for him to fend off."

Asuka nodded as she listened to Xiaoyu intently. Just then, she spied a man clad in a suit of golden armor with red and green accents approaching the desk. Her skin crawled as she spied the skull mask covering his face beneath a plate covering his forehead and a metallic, feathered headdress hanging off its back. He had a green-bladed sword hanging by his waist as he stepped across the floor, the skirt of his armor swinging with each step he took.

"Is that him?" Asuka asked, her face serious as she tried to assess the man.

"Yeah, that's him." Xiaoyu said. "His armor changes every year, but that sword of his always stays the same."

_Can Asuka Kazama and Yoshimitsu please approach the back patio for departure? All other competitors who wish to watch the fight may remain in the lobby to view the fight on our mainframe via satellite._

"Good luck Asuka, and remember what I told you." Xiaoyu said as her new friend made her way out of the lobby and followed Yoshimitsu down a long back corridor.

Asuka shielded her eyes from the sun as they stepped outside and she gasped at the sight of an awaiting helicopter, its blades spinning as it waited for its passengers. Yoshimitsu grabbed the edge of the door before hoisting himself up and into the helicopter. He took the back seat while Asuka made her way inside and slammed the door shut following the pilot's instructions.

Kyoto looked so small from the chopper as they flew away from the city; and soon, all signs of civilization appeared as they made their way into a mountainous region with a beautiful forest below. Asuka's eyes widened as she caught sight of a small plateau where a majestic waterfall stood nearby, it's waters a mesmerizing blue as it fell into a large river that seemed to go on for miles. The pilot finally landed near the bottom of the plateau after an hour of flying and instructed for Asuka and Yoshimitsu to exit the chopper. Asuka shielded her eyes as she watched the helicopter take flight once more and leave the two of them behind. She smiled and turned to Yoshimitsu, only to find that the man had already began his trek up towards the top of the plateau.

"Hey, wait up!" she shouted before running to catch up with him.

The sound of the waterfall intensified the higher up they went and when they finally reached the plateau, Asuka once again found herself captivated by the beauty of the area. Little puddles of water had gathered all around the dirty plateau and a gate made of wooden planks and feathered rope marked the area they were restricted to. Asuka looked out over the edge of the plateau and smiled at the sight of endless trees and rock formations stretching out for miles.

Only when Yoshimitsu muttered something incoherent did she turn around and realize that a cameraman had appeared. She raised an eyebrow as the unfamiliar man smiled and raised the camera onto his shoulder to begin filming.

_Asuka Kazama and Yoshimitsu, you have three rounds to complete during this match, all of which have an infinite amount of time to complete. The rules are simple- you are to defeat your opponent by any means, by under no circumstances are you to end their life. If you do manage to kill your opponent, you will immediately be withdrawn from the tournament. In order to win this match, you must defeat your opponent two out of the three rounds. Should your placement match result in a tie, an additional round will be added to ensure that a winner is chosen. Are you ready?_

Asuka walked so that there was an even amount of space between her and the ninja and spread her legs evenly apart before raising her arms, evenly bent, outstretched from her chest with her fingers spread evenly apart in Kazama Stance while Yoshimitsu spread his legs, left foot in front with his arms raised up chest height. He held his sword in his left hand and began bouncing back and forth on the balls of his feet, ready to begin their match.

A gust of wind blew by, causing Asuka's loose hair to tickle her cheeks. She smiled briefly at her opponent before putting on her game face.

"Let's get this over with." She said.

_Round one, fight!_

* * *

><p>All the competitors who chose to watch the first match of the day huddled around the front counter in the hotel lobby and stared up a the large holographic screen overhead intently. Christie and Xiaoyu stood next to each other, their fists balled up near their chin as they anticipated for either Asuka or Yoshimitsu to make the first move.<p>

"This should make for an interesting match." Hwoarang's voice reached their ears. Both girls turned around and rolled their eyes as the cocky red-head made his way over to them, swagger in his walk as he shoved his hands in his pocket. "I bet thirty bucks that Yoshimitsu is going to come out on top of this round."

"You don't know that." Xiaoyu said, getting defensive as she balled her fists at her sides. "You never know, Asuka may just surprise you."

Hwoarang smirked as he stood behind them. "If anyone's going to be surprised, it's her. She's never entered a tournament of this caliber before. She has no idea what she's up against."

"You know what Hwoarang, I have something to add to your little wager." Christie said as she propped her hip out to the side. "If Yoshimitsu wins, I'll give you your thirty bucks- but if Asuka wins, which I know she will, you owe me thirty bucks AND you have to promise to stop dogging her for the remainder of the tournament."

"Alright then Christie, I'll add your little wager to the bet. I hope you have thirty bucks on you, because I don't take checks."

Xiaoyu rolled her eyes as she turned her attention back to the screen. "You can do it Asuka."

* * *

><p>Asuka and Yoshimitsu stood in position, neither of them moving as they waited for the other to start off their round. Asuka smirked and that was the incentive to get the ninja going. Yoshimitsu leaped high into the air and Asuka's eyes widened in surprise as he disappeared from her sight. Her eyes quickly moved around the area and she gasped as the skull-mask man reappeared and dropped his leg down with the intention of kicking her shoulder, but Asuka had moved away quickly avoiding his leg while still reeling over the fact that he had temporarily disappeared from her sight.<p>

'I can't let him psyche me out.' She thought as she spied him running towards her for an elbow jab to the chest, but she slid forward, her right palm outstretched, striking him with enough force that Yoshimitsu was sent rolling away from her across the dirt covered ground. Deciding to try and get the upper hand, she ran towards him and spun around twice to prepare for a wheel kick, but Yoshimitsu wasn't going to let her knock him down again and counter attacked, kicking her in the throat as he stood up, and causing her to stumble back. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from verbally lashing out and ran towards him another time, but Yoshimitsu held his arms out to the side, his sword held upright in his right hand as he began to spin rather quickly on his toes. Asuka held her arms up to shield herself from the blade and she cried out as the blade pierced through her skin. She jumped back as Yoshimitsu brought his sword down for one single slice. He laughed as he looked up to meet her eyes from behind his mask. He said nothing before running towards her and dropping into a sitting position, his sword held upright in his lap before he spun around quickly and disappeared again. Asuka looked up at the sky frantically, hoping to see him coming down at her, but instead, she her shoulder was greeted by the ninja's blade as he reappeared behind her and sliced partially through the skin of her shoulder. Asuka hissed and pressed her hand to the bleeding wound before turning around and kicking Yoshimitsu with enough force to knock the wind out of him. She growled angrily as she balled up her fists at her sides and turned around to face him.

"You know what? I don't think it's fair that you can use a weapon you coward- but if you can't part ways with your precious blade, maybe I can force it off you!"

Asuka ran towards him and jumped up into the air before bringing her fist down. Yoshimitsu jumped away just in time, but he was shocked to see the ground burst open from the impact of Asuka's fist slamming onto the plateau. She looked up at him quickly and got back onto her feet before charging him like an enraged bull and tackling him to the ground. She sat on top of his chest and he held his sword in front of him to block her fists as she unleashed six good blows, only one missing the sword and striking his chest. Yoshimitsu kicked her away from him and jumped into the air as he began using his sword like the propellers of a helicopter to float towards her. He dropped to the ground and rolled forward before kicking both of his legs upward, striking Asuka and sending her summersaulting through the air. She landed on the ground a few feet away and skidded across the dirt before hitting her head off one of the beams marking off the area. She groaned as she heard the announcer declare Yoshimitsu as the winner of the first round before she raised a hand to the back of her head. That last fall had definitely left her with some bruises, and she could add a bleeding cut on the back of her head to her list of injuries she had already sustained.

Ignoring her altered vision and headache, Asuka stood to her feet and glared at the ninja standing cockily before her, his arms folded across his chest, his special sword still in hand.

_That's right folks, Yoshimitsu is the winner of the first round. Only two rounds left for Asuka to redeem herself- and should she lose round two, Yoshimitsu will be named the winner of this ranking match. Asuka, Yoshimitsu, get ready for round two._

Yoshimitsu held his hands up again and began bouncing back and forth on the balls of his feet as he had done earlier, but Asuka simply glared at him angrily. She had never had someone humiliate her like that before and what's worse, everyone who was back at the hotel and people worldwide had viewed her defeat. She couldn't allow herself to fail. She had to avenge her father and prove to everyone who had been doubting her since she arrived in Kyoto that she had what it took to win this tournament. Was she going to let this ninja from the forest psyche her out- hell no!

Asuka raised her arms in her Kazama stance and for some inexplicable reason, she suddenly felt lighter, almost as though she had received a power boost. She clenched her fists as the announcer announced the beginning of round two and rather than waiting in another stare-down, Asuka ran towards the ninja. Rather than striking Yoshimitsu, Asuka went into a back flip, kicking Yoshimitsu up into the air as she went around, before coming out of her technique and hitting him with a technique known as "Whiplash" before spinning around and elbowing him in the chest. She spied him coming at her once again with his spinning technique, but she fended him off easily this time raising her arms high enough that she was only struck by his clenched fists and not the blade of his sword. Yoshimitsu released a warrior's cry as he dropped down lower into a squatting position as he tried the same technique from a lower angle, but Asuka did another backflip and knocked him out of position, sending him skidding across the ground.

Asuka wasn't going to give him time to recover and instead charged towards him, sending a right hook to his face before dropping down into three even sweep kicks, or a "Jab Leg Cutter," before leaping into a "Thunder Fall Kick" which gave off the appearance of her doing a mid-air cartwheel before her feet stomped on top of Yoshimitsu. The ninja fell to the ground, dropping his sword as the back of his skull bounced off the ground. He laid there for a moment, groaning in pain and Asuka took a few calming breaths as the announcer named her as the winner of the second round. She watched the ninja take hold of his sword and stand to his feet as he took a few jagged breaths. Asuka couldn't assess the extent of his injuries from her attack since he was covered in armor, but she could only guess that she had done a good job based on how unnerved the guy looked.

_Asuka is the winner of round two and may I just say, what a comeback she made! Unfortunately, winning one round isn't what matters here, it's winning two. Who will come out of this battle victoriously? Let's find out in the final round! Fighters, assume your positions._

Asuka raised her arms for the final round while Yoshimitsu did the same, and the announcer shouted for them to begin the final round. Yoshimitsu ran towards her and dived, giving off the appearance of a spiraling screw as he dove towards her and knocked her off her feet. Asuka landed on her back and gasped as she spied the green blade of his sword coming down with a vengeance. She rolled across the ground and onto her feet as the blade stabbed into the ground where she had been lying moments before. She took a few shaky breaths before looking up at the man in disbelief. He charged towards her and threw all of his weight into his left shoulder and upper back and rammed into her, causing her to fall once more. Asuka rolled into a puddle and cursed under her breath before standing up and running towards him. Without dropping into a kick this time, she pushed herself off the ground and brought a "Thunder Fall Kick" onto the ninja, but he blocked her technique this time around. As he prepared to strike with her sword, she miraculously caught the blade with a clap before forcing it out of his hands and tossing it across the ground. Yoshimitsu was prepared to run after it, but Asuka wasn't going to let him go and executed a "White Heron Dance" to strike him a few good times before initiating a spin kick to knock him down. She then dropped into a sweep kick to prevent him from getting back up, but she miscalculated her timing and was knocked off her feet by the ninja. She shook her head and growled angrily at the sight of him picking up his sword. As he began charging towards her to initiate a final blow, Asuka stood to her feet and took a deep breath before spinning towards him several times, gaining acceleration. Yoshimitsu could hardly believe his eyes as he spied a visible amount of blue energy sparking from the girl's core and moving into her leg. He tried to stop himself, but he had gained too much acceleration and reached her just as she spun out and kicked him with all her might using a "Spinning Heel Drop" before executing a "Demon Slayer" and using her elbows and strength to knock him up into the air. Yoshimitsu rolled across the ground and Asuka watched with a satisfied smirk as he collided with the stone wall near the plateau's edge. He did not get back up.

_Ladies and gentleman, Asuka Kazama is the winner of this placement match!_

Asuka smiled victoriously before collapsing on the ground. She could hear the footsteps of the cameraman running towards her, but she couldn't quite see or make sense of what was happening. She felt herself being scooped into someone's arms but she couldn't see their face. The last thing she saw before blacking out was Yoshimitsu lying on the ground a few feet away while a paramedic hovered over him.

* * *

><p>When Asuka opened her eyes, she found herself back in her hotel suite lying in her bed. She went to move, but cried out in pain as her body began screaming in protest. Slowly, she sat up and assessed the damage in the light coming from her bedside table lamp. It appeared that her shoulder had been bandaged up and so had her head. She frowned as she reached a hand up to find only a few of her brown locks hanging down the back of her neck, the rest having been restrained by the bandages. She looked towards the window and gasped at the sight of the moon hanging in the sky and the lights of Kyoto's nightlife blazing like a wildfire as people traveled through the streets. It was seven in the morning during her flight to the waterfall and now it was dark. She had been out for quite some time from what she could tell.<p>

Just as she prepared to get out of bed, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in." she said, wincing at how hoarse her voice sounded. The door opened quickly and Christie walked in, followed by Xiaoyu and Steve Fox.

"Oh good, you're awake." Christie said flashing her a bright smile.

"What the hell happened?" Asuka asked as she rolled her shoulders back to relieve them of their stiffness and pain.

"You won!" Xiaoyu explained. "You defeated Yoshimitsu during your match. Everyone's still talking about it. I have to admit, you had us all worried after that first match- but you came back with such a vengeance, such a fire. The minute you delivered that first blow during the second match, I knew you had the round in your hands."

Asuka nodded as she stared down at the sheets covering her numb legs. "He was fast, so very fast. Then there were moments where he would disappear into thin air and I had no idea how to comprehend what was going on. I was worried myself for a while. Anyways, how long have I been here?"

"Well, you've only been in your room for about an hour." Christie explained. "You were taken to the infirmary to have your wounds stitched up and the doctors kept you under observation for a while since you didn't regain consciousness after your fight. You've been out practically all day. It's going on eleven now."

"What?" Asuka shouted. "But, what about the other matches? I missed all of them, this is unbelievable. Now how am I supposed to know what kind of competition I'm in if I can't observe my opponents' matches? This sucks!"

"Hey, try not to worry about it Asuka." Steve said. "If you fight anything like you did today, you'll fair pretty well in this tournament."

Asuka nodded before looking up at her friends. "So, how did you guys do in your fights?"

Christie frowned. "I lost my match. If you thought Yoshimitsu's disappearing acts were great, you're going to love facing Raven during the tournament. Capoeira is a very skillful and fast fighting technique and this guy made me look like a turtle. He was unique to say the least."

"I lost my match too." Xiaoyu said as she folded her arms across her chest. "Can you believe they matched me against my grandfather? I mean, the guy is a martial arts master and my instructor. He taught me everything I know. It was so humiliating!"

Steve smiled as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I won my match against King, and being that I lost against him during the previous tournament, I take pride in my victory."

"Well, come on you guys. We'd better let Asuka get some rest." Christie said as they made their way towards the door. "We'll come and check on you in the morning."

As they prepared to leave, a thought crossed Asuka's mind for some strange reason and she called out to Christie to keep her from going. Christie told Steve and Xiaoyu to go on without her before turning back towards her friend.

"Don't ask any questions, but…did Hwoarang say anything about my match?"

Christie's eyes widened, she certainly wasn't expecting to hear that question. Her look of shock quickly wore off and she smiled. "He didn't say anything, but the look on his face when you wiped the floor with Yoshimitsu was priceless. It's almost like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. I haven't seen him since he won against Ganryu about three hours ago, but I'll let him know that you're alright now. Something tells me he has a lot of questions to ask you."

Asuka nodded and didn't say more, prompting Christie to leave. Asuka then turned her head back towards the large-faced window and the lights of Kyoto blazing on through the night.

* * *

><p><span><strong>AN:**** And so ends another chapter. Fighting scenes are always my hardest scenes to write, but I am actually pleased with how this one turned out and I hope all of you are too. It can be very frustrating to relay what's actually happening. I mean, I play Tekken just about every day and I know all of Asuka's moves, just as I know all of Christie's, Xiaoyu's, Michelle, Lee, etc. It can be difficult to relay what seems so simple on a television screen into a word document. So, I hope you guys are okay with how it turned out.**

**Alright, now comes the time where you leave me a review and your thoughts on the chapter. I really hope you all enjoyed it. See you at the next update!**

**-KairiAngel13**


End file.
